Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20 (CSB)

Welcome back, friend!

I don’t know what topic God will place on my heart for next week, but I want to close out this week with at least one more name: Citizen of Heaven.

If you’ve been able to read the other nine posts in this series, I’m sure you’ve noticed a trend regarding the identity of those who believe on Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

In Christ, we are new, different, peculiar even.

In Christ, we are made a light in the darkness, a city on a hill.

In short, we should stand out from the world.

Why?

Because this world is not our home. The moment we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our citizenship changed from the world to Heaven.

Christian, we are sojourners living for a time in a foreign land, but not residents of that land.

We are in the world, but we are not of the world.

And therein lies the root of our identity discomfort.

Dear heart, God has told us very clearly who we are in Christ, but if we try to live like who we really are in Christ, the world alienates and persecutes us (John 15:18-25).

On the other hand, because God has given us a new identity in Christ, if we try to live like the world, Holy Spirit dwelling inside us (remember, we are God’s temple) convicts and corrects us (John 16:7-11).

Now, I’m sure this is where some would say this is a Catch-22 or “darned if you do, darned if you don’t” situation, but let me assure you, it is not.

You see, even if you conform to the world, the world will continue to find reasons to persecute you.

Why?

Because that’s what the enemy does, and the world, wittingly and unwittingly, follows the enemy. There is no good in the enemy and so nothing he touches can bring goodness to your life; only death comes from his influence (1 Peter 5:8; John 8:44).

There is only one Source of goodness and life, and that is Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

When we fully embrace our identity in Christ, when we live out a full belief that we are God’s possession, His peculiar people, accepted by Him, His temple, then we are granted access to all of God’s goodness. We gain all of His peace, all of His joy, all of His wisdom, all of His confidence, all of His strength, and lacking nothing, we are fully equipped to be light in the darkness, a city on a hill, sojourners in this land, loving those who hate us and proclaiming Christ and Christ alone.

My beloved reader, I’ve walked with one foot in the world and one foot in God’s Kingdom before, and let me tell you I was never more confused or insecure than in those years. If you are desiring security in your identity, if you’re tired of trying to be someone you’re not or striving to meet expectations that only seem to increase, then it’s time to go back to the Source of your identity and allow Him to teach you who you are and how to walk in that knowledge.

Let’s close out today’s time together with a prayer:

Father God, thank You for Your Son Jesus, who walked with us, taught us, died for us, and rose again for us, so we could be reconciled with You. Thank You for calling us out of darkness and into the light, for making us new creations in Christ, for accepting us as Your own special, peculiar people. Lord, may we walk as Your chosen people, separate, sanctified for You and Your purposes. Help us Father to be more like Christ and less like the world each day. Secure us in who You say we are that we not be tempted by the lesser identities the world would give us. Shield us from the darts of the enemy. Create in us a longing to live as citizens of Heaven, to walk this world as sojourners only, passing through, proclaiming Your name along the way to the home You have prepared for us. Amen.

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